These courses prepare students for the DSH examination and give them the language skills they need to study in Germany. We do not recommend taking the German language examination (DSH) until you have completed these courses. To take part in the course you have to first apply to the Admissions Office. A placement test is held before the course begins. Further information is given in the letter of acceptance you receive from FAU. The decision as to whether you meet the language requirements for taking part in the course and can be offered a place on it is taken on the basis of the placement test. The test results are also used to allocate students to courses according to their ability. Applicants without sufficient knowledge of German cannot be accepted and have to take private language lessons first before they can be considered. Course fees (see below) are due for payment once you have been accepted on a German course. Confirmation of participation in the course and/or payment of course fees can only be issued once the course has started.

Prospective students who do not yet have sufficient knowledge of German to pass the DSH can apply to the Admissions Office for a place on these courses. Applicants must have already reached at least Level A2.

• University entrance qualifications (i.e. Abitur or equivalent)
• Application to a degree programme at FAU
• Basic knowledge of German at level A2
• Placement test (March/April or September/October)

https://www.campo.fau.de

Zulassungsstelle der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Halbmondstr. 6
91023 Erlangen

For Bachelor’s degree programmes: Phone: +49 9131 8524423/ +49 9131 8526962 / +49 9131 8526970
For Master’s degree programmes: Phone: +49 9131 8525989
Admissions Office website

• On or before 15 January for DSH semester courses during the summer semester.
• On or before 15 July for DSH semester courses during the winter semester.
• Please note: We strongly recommend submitting your application well before the official deadline.
• Anyone who has applied to study at FAU but fails the DSH can be given a place on the DSH semester course, provided places are still available. Those to whom this applies will be given the necessary information during the DSH.

• 12 weeks from mid April until mid of July (in the summer semester)
• 12 weeks from mid October until the end of January (in the winter semester)
• You cannot join a course once it has already started.
• The exact course times are listed in the course catalogue at: http://univis.uni-erlangen.de under ‘Language Centre (SZ)’ and ‘Sprachkurse in Erlangen’.

20 hours per week (16 hours of instruction and 4 hours in the language laboratory)

The placement test for the preparatory language courses (DSH courses) is intended to ensure that students of approximately the same ability are put in one course. It is not a test aimed at assigning students’ language skills to a certain level of the General European Framework of Reference. More information is available here:

• €785 per course/12 weeks during the semester
• You have to pay for the preparatory DSH course by bank transfer. You will be given the bank details for the transfer as soon as you are allocated a place on the course.

Registration takes place in the Language Centre, but before registering you need to have received a letter of acceptance or have taken the placement test. You will be notified of the dates for registration either together with your letter of acceptance or during the placement test.

Written confirmation that you are attending the course can only be issued once you have been allocated a place on the course or at the beginning of the course. It is not possible for written confirmation of attendance to be given in advance. The same applies to confirmation of payment of course fees. In order to apply for visa the letter of acceptance is necessary and also sufficient.

Students on the preparatory courses are not registered as students of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. They are not given a student ID card. They must also arrange their own health insurance.

As stated on the letter of acceptance, taking part in the preparatory German course is no guarantee that the applicant will be given a place at FAU in the following semester. You must re-apply to study at FAU during the course of the semester. When planning your application, you should bear in mind that far fewer degree programmes are offered in the summer semester than in the winter semester.

• Frau Birgit Bitzer-Muhammad
• Frau Dr. Lydia Marhoff
• Office hours: by appointment via E-Mail
• Email: sz-dsh-kurse@fau.de